Eleventh grade

Eleventh grade (called Grade 11 in some regions) is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.

In Australia, Year Eleven is typically the twelfth year of education and fifth (except Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, which it is the fourth) year of high school education. Although there are slight variations between the states, most students in Year Eleven are aged between sixteen and seventeen. Queensland year-eleven students are the youngest in the country, as they usually enter at age fifteen.

In New South Wales, Year Eleven is the shortest year as it only lasts three whole terms. Year Twelve begins its first term where Year Eleven would have its fourth.

Year Eleven is followed by Year Twelve, the final year of high school education (unless students chose to undertake the optional Year Thirteen).

In all provinces and territories, except Quebec, a student continues to Grade 12 to complete their high school, or secondary, education. In Quebec, Grade 11 (sec. 5) is the final year of secondary education, followed by college, a pre-university level unique to Quebec.

The eleventh grade is the last year in secondary education. In this year, all students are required to do an internship in any subject field. To differentiate from Universities' internships, the practice is called 'alphabetisation'; most of the time is related to community services, such as teaching in schools, or assisting in hospitals or libraries. Students also do the ICFES National Test and they present to the draft for the Colombian Army. By law, the army cannot recruit under-age students; most of eleventh-graders are aged 16–17, and the draft is almost changed for the payment of a monetary fee. This year is called the senior year.

Year 12, or Lower Sixth form, is comparable to the 11th grade of other systems. It is the sixth and penultimate year of secondary education. For students who entered secondary school before September 2008,[citation needed] it is not compulsory to attend these last two years. During Year 12, three Advanced Subsidiary units are completed per subject (either written exams, coursework or a mixture, depending on subject). Usually students choose four AS-Level subjects in Year 12 (some students may decide to take three or five).

Students then enter Year 13—equivalent to 12th grade—and usually choose to drop a subject,[citation needed] going on to complete three subjects. Successful completion generally results in the award of A-Level qualifications, though BTECs can be received.

The system is similar to the English one at this age. Lower Sixth Form (Year 13), pupils start on a two-year course, at the end of which they will hopefully have gained three 'A' Levels in their chosen subjects.

Grade eleven is the first of two years in college (grade twelve being the last and final year before postgraduate and university education) and is equivalently referred to as "first year." Students in this year level are sixteen to seventeen years old.

In Scotland, fifth year (of secondary education) or S5 is optional, where pupils will generally sit Higher qualifications which form the core entry requirements for university. It is followed by an optional final sixth year (also known as S6).

The closest equivalent to the eleventh grade is the first year of post-obligatory school, called "Bachillerato". It is not mandatory and it lasts two years between 16 and 18. It is a preparatory period during which students prepare to take the university entrance exam (Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad, PAU) and to go to university.

In the US, a student in the eleventh grade is typically referred to as a junior. Juniors are the third year class of high school. Many students take the SAT Reasoning Test and/or ACT in the second half of their junior year, and those interested in pursuing higher education tend to search for places at academic institutions at that time.

Mathematics students usually take Algebra II, but classes like trigonometry or pre-calculus are sometimes offered for students who wish to take Advanced Placement math classes in their senior year. Depending on the location there may be a combination of any of the listed subjects. They may also take easier courses such as Algebra I and geometry if they do not have the required prerequisites for the more advanced courses that are listed above. Students who are advanced in mathematics often take calculus or statistics. In science classes, juniors are taught usually Biology, or Chemistry especially Lab Chemistry. Atoms, molecules, and stoichiometry is taught as well.

In a social studies curriculum, eleventh-graders in the United States are usually taught US history or the world from the 1870s to the 21st Century. They may also acquire more advanced world culture and geography knowledge, along with some more-advanced social studies such as psychology and government.

Many eleventh-graders in the United States opt to take a foreign language, even though it is not required in many secondary curricula.

While normally followed by twelfth grade, some colleges will accept excelling students out of this grade as part of an early college entrance program. Alternatively, some students may choose to graduate early through standardized testing or advanced credits.